Rear-spring construction



I May 24,1927. w 1,629,672

H. ATHQNS REAR SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 13, 1925 Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATE PATENT'OFFICE.

HERBERT ATHONS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.-

REAR-SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed April 13, 1925. Serial No.v22, 858.

This invention relates to improvements in rear spring constructions for vehicles.

It is adapted to be used in conjunction withadapted to replace the single rear spring upon the Ford automobile by two full elliptic springs, and to associate certain parts with the full elliptic springs which are so constructed that they may easily and quick-.

ly be caused to accommodate themselves to the conventional parts on the Ford automobile.

With the foregoing and other objects in viewwhich will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein: .c

Figure 1 illustrates the improved spring construction of my invention asapplied to the-rear of the frame and the rear axle housing upon a Ford automobile,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken upon the line 2-2 in the direction indicated, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the arms of my improved spring construction.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the'same, Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the arm, Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are a top plan vlew, a

side elevation and a bottom plan view of the plate which constitutes one of the parts for fastening the springs to the rear axle housing, and v Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another elementconstituting one of the parts for fastening the spring to therear axle housm i I 3 V Tteferring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the rear axle housing and the differential housing upon the conventional Ford automobile is indicated at 10. The frame of the vehicle has longitudinally extending side parts 11 and 12-, which are in the form of channel irons. The rearward ends of these side parts are fastened to a transverse member 13. The

construction upon the Ford automobile is I such that thejtransverse member 13 is in the form of an inverted channel, and the ends of'the side members 11 and 12 are secured to it adjacent its ends, but not quite at the ends of the transverse member. At the ends of the rear axle housing 10, members 14 are mounted to which the brakeband s secured, which engages the drum which.

is mounted upon the wheels 15. Spring perches 16 are mounted upon the members 14. The present Ford rear spring construction consists of asemi-elliptic leaf spring which has its ends. secured to the perches 16 as by'shackles; The central portion of c the leaf spring is disposed within the channel-shaped transverse member- 13, and is secured therein as by U-bolts 17. In replacing the rear spring upon a Ford,-the

-U-bolts 17 are .unfastened andthe shackles upon the endsof the spring are discon-v nected from the spring perches 16. 1

My improved spring constructionconsists of two arms 18 and 19 which are counter parts of each other, and which are shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. These arms have their inner ends extending beneath the channel shaped transverse member 13 and at their adjacent ends they are widened, as indicated at 20, and are provided with bolt holes 21 which are capable of receiving the ends of the U-bolts 17 which previously fastened the old Ford spring within the channel-shaped transverse member 13. Suitable lugs 22 are formed upon the upper sides of the arms 18 and 19 near their adjacent ends and these lugs are so spacedasto extend upwardly between the sides of thechannel13 so asto prevent displacement of the arms. forcing ribs 23 are formed upon the under side oft-hat portion of each arm which is v disposed beneath the transverse-member 13.

A suitable groove 24 is formed upon the up per side of each arm capable ofreceiving the lower slde of-the channel-shaped side part 11 or 12, asthecase may be. A depression 25 is formed'in the groove 24 was to ,receivethe head of the rivet or'bolt fastening the transverse member 13 to the Reinside part. The ends of the. arms 18,an d l9 project outwardly beyond the ends of" the transverse member 1 and these progccting portions are flat on their under sides and on their upper sides vare providedv with rein forcing ribs 26. These reinforcing ribs are so spaced that their inner ends are capable of" being received between the side portions of the channel forming the transverse member 13 attheends ot' the transverse member.

In this manner the reintorcinc' ribs 26 re-' A bolt 31 secures the leaves oft-he spring togethcr and extends through the bolt hole holes 28.

nuts 33. The lower leaves of'the full ellip- 29 in the flattened portion 53? to prevent; longitudinal shifting oi the springsb'eneath the arms. Two lJ-bolts 32 extend beneath the upper leaves of the springs 30 and have their upper ends extending through the bolt They are fastened in place by tic springs 30 are fastened together as by a bolt 34:. Aspacer member 35 has a groove 3t formed on its top, which groove i's capable of receiving the rear axle housing 10, so as to fit snugly thereagainst. 37 is formed along the under side of the spacer member to receive the upper end of the bolt 34. A plate 38 shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is positioned upon the underside of the lower leaves of each spring. This plate on its top surface is formed with a recess or depression 39 which receives the nut of the bolt 34, and the plate is also provided with tour bolt holes 40. U-bolts 41, extend over the rear axle housing' 10 downwardly alongthe sides o'f the leaves forming the lower half of each spring and through the bolt holes it), being fastened to the plate 38 by nuts 42. It will. be understood that'the bolts 31- and 3% preventlongitudinal slipping of the full elliptio springs 30.

"By reason of the fact that the weight of the vehicle is not transmitted through the springs tothe end of the axlc'as was previously done upon theFord' automobile, I

find it: advantageous toemploy a truss rod 4:3. Collars td are clamped about the mem hers 14 and the ends of the truss rod 43 are fastened to these collars. The truss rod a?) intends beneath the differentialhousing and the plates 38;, Si'iitable'lu n's 45 are --1"jormed upon the-under side of each plate 38 between which the truss rod 43' extends.

*FIOIII" the above it will be appreciated that an improved rear spring constructionis provided-tor vehicles which is especially channel 13, and.

A recess adapted to replace, the rear spring upon the Ford automobile. I replace the single semi-elliptic spring by two full elliptic sprii which greatly increases the riding qualities of the Ford automobile. The arms 18- and l t}; are so constructed as to be easily and quick applied to the transverse is unnecessary to bore any holes in the Ford construction. "he arms 18- and l-S) are formed as to have portions fitting within the channel 12- .to prevent slipping and the old i -bolts t? already provided upon the automobile are sed when my improved spring construction. is applied- It will be notedftroni an inspection of Fig. 2 that the forward end oi the full elliptic spring 30 is nearer the rear.

axle housing 10 than the rearward end: of the spring. This is because of the radius rod extending from the members 14 to ward each other and toward the forward end o'l'the the springs that l. employ, this shifting ot the "full elliptic springs rearwardly past, their centers is necessary so that the forward end of each spring will not engage vehicle. Because oi thesize ot the radius rod. urthermore it will? be noted that a bolt hole .46 is formed in each. arm capable of receivin-gthe body bolts 47; if desired. Y i

It Will be understood thatvarious changes may be made in the detail "of construction. without: departing from the, spirit; or scope, of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim;

In a vehicle wherein there isa reartransverse inverted channel shaped member; and a rear axle'housing, arearspring construction comprising two arms mounted upon the ends of.- the transverse. member, said arms having their: ends. projecting. be yond' theends of the transverse membenribs formedupon thetop surfaces of; the arms, adjacent theirv outer ends which bear against. the sides of the transverse member, said arms bearing against theunderside of said transverse meniber-a-nd being widened adjacent. their inner. ends, U-boats arranged; across the transverse member having their ends. eX tendingthrough the. widened inner ends of thearms and secured theretO, full; elliptic springs arranged between, the outer ends of theiarms and the axle housing, means for, securing the upper: leaves 0t eachspring inter-.inediate their ends to'thc outer end. of their respective arm and means for securin the lower leaves of each spring intermediatetheir ends to the axle housing. v

2-. In a vehicle wherein; there; is a rear transverse inverted channel shaped member;

' and a rear axle housing, rear; springco'nstruction comprising two arrns mounted upon theends otthe transverse member, sa d arms having. their ends prQ ect ng beyond the ends of the transverse member,

ribs formed upon the top surfaces of the\ bolts extending through the outer ends of the arms and serving to secure the upper leaves of the springs intermediate their ends to the arms, the lower leaves being arranged beneath the axle housing, blocks fitting against the under sideof the axle housing and against which the'lower leaves bear and U-bolts arranged over the axle housing and plates fastened by the U-bolts against the under side of the leaves.

3. In a vehicle wherein there is a rear transverse inverted channel shaped member and a rear axle housing, a rear spring construction comprising two arms mounted upon the ends of the transverse member, said arms halving their ends projecting beyond the ends of the transverse member, ribs formed upon the top surfaces of the arms adjacent their outer ends which bear against the sides of the transverse member, said arms bearing against the under side of said trans verse member and being widened adjacent their inner ends, U-bolts arranged across the transverse member having their ends extending through the widened inner ends of the arms and secured thereto, full elliptic springs arranged between the outer ends of the arms and the axle housing, U-bolts extending through the'outer ends of the arms and serving to secure the upper leaves of the springs intermediate their ends to the arms, blocks fitting against the axle housing against which the lower lealves bear, plates positioned against the leaves and U-bolts for tightening the plates against the leaves, thus securing the lower leaves of each spring to the axle housing.

-In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HERBERT ATHONS. 

